Sad news this morning of the death, aged 90, of Sir Sean Connery. He will always be the real James Bond in my eyes and that is probably showing my own bias, because he, like myself was born in Edinburgh. In fact he was born and raised in a very poor and cramped tenement in Fountainbridge, an area near the city centre to the south and west of the castle.
He joined the Royal Navy at , in 1946 and served as a naval rating until 1949. Back in civilian life again in Edinburgh he worked as a milkman and a coffin polisher, getting into body-building as a hobby, playing football for local team Bonnyrigg Rangers, where he was scouted by Sir Matt Busby of Manchester United and offered a contract (which he turned down because he thought his career as a footballer would be over by the time he was 30), and then becoming, first an extra in repertory theatre, and then being cast in the stage production of South Pacific at the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh , the production of which moved to London’s West End. He was spotted there and acted in a few roles in British films and TV, before being offered the role of James Bond in the first movie of the 007 franchise, Dr. No, in 1962. The rest of his film career is long and illustrious, and as they say, “now is history”. In 2000 he received a knighthood from HM The Queen. RIP Sir Sean.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.He has always confirmed my respect for the people of Scotland.
Mcflewster
Level 8
Nov 1, 2020
1
Yes...a great advocate for Scotland, and Scottish independence.
He was the endemic James Bond to which no one else compare. I also thought he was excellent in the Molly Maguire movie as the leader on the coal mine union here in Pennsylvania. A great actor who will live on in his many movies.
Barnie2years
Level 8
Oct 31, 2020
1
Yes...he acted in many great parts, not just as Bond.
Very gifted actor
bobwjr
Level 10
Oct 31, 2020
1
Yes...he starred in some great roles.
Very sad, a child hood hero should never die. Sean, I named my son after him.
MerlinZap
Level 8
Oct 31, 2020
2
That’s a great living memorial.
I've had such mixed feeling over Sean for most of my adult life. I loved him as a kid and teen but then this interview happened and it forever tarnished his knight in shining armor super star position in my heart
I have tried to take into account that in his day people often slapped or struck each other in confrontations and that was men and women. Still, I remember feeling almost betrayed by his words.
He was a great actor but when actors let you see what they are as people like Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood and several others I could name it just isn't the same. Sometimes I can separate it and sometimes I cannot. With Sean I could. though it always took a little something away from his performance... with others not so much but that is for each person to determine for themselves where to draw the line. RIP
Leelu
Level 7
Oct 31, 2020
3
He was a product of his time...I certainly don’t condone or approve of what he said or thought was it was ok regarding slapping his wife..but I can separate my admiration for him as an artist and actor from his personal life and troubled relationship with his first wife Diane Cilento, His second marriage with Micheline Roquebrune from 1975 - 2020 (45) was long and happy with no such hints of physicality. I’m sure she is bereft at his death.
@Marionville why do people make excuses for celebraties when they behave badly. Any man who defends domestic violence is a coward and should not be defended. He was given an opportunity to retract what he said and he defended domestic violence instead. When you defend him you insult millions of women around the world that are victims of domestic violence and emotional abuse. I would rather insult 1 dead person than insult 100's of millions of living women who are victims of domestic violence every year in the world, not to mention the 1000,s that are killed by domestic violence every year.
@dermot235 I reserve the right to decide what I find unacceptable or not. If a man is physically attacked by his partner or wife are there any circumstances in which he has the right to retaliate? Not all women are weak and passive and many men suffer from physical abuse and domestic violence. He should have walked away and not retaliated, I do agree on that, but from what I’ve read Diane Cilento was out of control and hysterical and was frightening their son ...he slapped her to stop it.
@Marionville "he slapped her to stop it". That's a shameful thing to say. I have nothing else to add to this
@Marionville Please don't be an apologist.
@Leelu I’m not apologising for his behaviour, ...only he could have done that, nor am I excusing it. What I am doing is relating the facts as I understand them. Things and situations are not always black and white and people are not all good or all bad. All I have done is point that out.
@Marionville You can reserve no such Right. The law states it's a criminal Offence to slap a woman. You also seems to confuse what "weak" means. Hitting someone does not make you strong.
He will be missed. As for his bodybuilding I have even found old pictures of contests he was in back in the 50's.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Oct 31, 2020
1
Yes...I’ve seen them too.
A sad day RIP the real James Bond.
Moravian
Level 8
Oct 31, 2020
2
Yes,..the one and only. Ian Fleming...initially opposed the Cubby Broccoli decision to cast Connery, after seeing him in the screen tests, wrote in a Scottish biography to Bond’s character to marry in the Scots accent of Connery.
Rest In Peace. Great talent. Will be forever missed.
CuddyCruiser
Level 8
Oct 31, 2020
2
Yes...he will.
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